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Exclusivity and “Handcuff Firms” Part 2

May 2nd, 2017

Myths and Reality

So why do some officers sign up with a handcuff firm?

The biggest myths that you will hear from handcuff firms are:

Myth 1: We represent only the best companies. You cannot get a job at Company ABC without signing an exclusionary agreement with us.

Reality: No military recruiting firm represents all the best jobs. If this were the case, all the other military recruiting firms would have gone out of business long ago.

The fact is that there are a myriad of great companies that hire military officers, and the top ones utilize more than one military recruiting firm.

Myth 2: We represent only the best candidates.

Reality: Every military recruiting firm represents top tier candidates. And if you are the best of the best, you are going to stand out in any situation (so you would want as many opportunities to put your product (you) on display as possible, not just the events held by a handcuff / “exclusive” firm).

The “exclusive club sell” is a widely-known civilian sales technique – it appeals to the desire in all of us to be in the best school, the best fraternity, the best team, the best neighborhood, etc. And many officers are bushwhacked by it.

Myth 3: You can’t look for a job on your own when working with an exclusionary firm, even if their interview timing is not in your favor.

Reality: It is true that a handcuff firm will try to keep you so busy with training books, writing papers, etc., that you won’t have time to look for a job outside of them. However, you may in fact find an ideal opportunity outside of the handcuff firm that is your “dream job”, or more importantly, that is on an accelerated hiring schedule more to your liking.

In the military recruiting business, having both a good business reputation and a great track record with military officers is critical. A no-cost military recruiting firm that tried to prevent an officer from taking a job found outside of their firm would be playing with fire. The risk of this negative reputation being passed to fellow officers, classmates and / or a military newspaper would be enormous. As an officer searching for your next career, you owe it to yourself to review as many opportunities that match your preferred geography, career goals and desired timing as possible, and not be beholden to a handcuff firm’s typically more rigid program.

Since 1991, Bradley-Morris has successfully placed tens of thousands military professionals into their civilian careers – and we have done it without requiring exclusionary agreements. This is proof that from our large and diverse client base, we deliver high-quality opportunities to our candidates without forbidding them from investigating other avenues or resources. We know from experience that the more options you can take advantage of as a career seeker, the better for you.

Remember – this is your career search – don’t limit the “house” you can buy.